Who will tend "Tzon ha'Haregah"?
Rashi: These are Hashem's words to the Navi. I shepherded them in early days!
Malbim: I arranged (taught) how they were conducted in a way that they were Tzon ha'Haregah.
Why does it say "Lachen Aniyei ha'Tzon"?
Rashi: Indeed, they were poor flock when I began to tend them.
Malbim: They were Aniyei ha'Tzon because they killed each other and there was not Shalom between them.
What is the significance of taking two staffs?
Rashi: After a while, I divided them into two kingdoms, due to their sin. It calls the rulers staffs, for it is normal to conduct a flock with staffs.
Radak: This hints that He did not conduct them in one way, rather, according to their deeds.
Malbim: They hint to two kinds of conduct. (a) The officer, Nasi or king, who had a Bris with the nations who ruled at the time in the land. (b) The judge, Kohen Gadol or head of the Sanhedrin ? he should supervise Am Yisrael that they be united in creed, Mishpat and conduct, and not be divided into factions. It is proper that that staff between Yisrael and the nations be Chovelim, to fight them with Gevurah. The one between Yehudah and Yisrael should be No'am. It was to the detriment of that generation that they were opposite! They were submissive to the nations, but within Bnei Yisrael they subjugated their brothers with harsh labor. Refer to 11:7:4:3, 11:7:5:3.
Why did He call one "No'am"?
Rashi: Yaravam said that he will conduct them slowly (softly).
Radak: Hashem conducted them pleasantly when they guarded His way and their kings and judges were good and guided them in the good path ? "Hashem Ro'i Lo Echsar; bi'N'os Deshe Yarbitzeni Al Mei Menuchos Yenahaleni" (Tehilim 24:1-2). They had only good, without bad mishaps.
Radak (14 citing R. Avraham ha'Levi): This refers to the Nesi'us (rule) of Zerubavel and Nechemyah ha'Tarshasa, who were from Bnei David. Hashem gave to them Malchus Yisrael [with] Bris Melach.
Malbim: From below "No'am va'Egda Oso Lehafer Es Brisi Asher Karati Es Kol ha'Amim" (10), we know that this staff was to make a Bris with the nations.
Why did He call one "Chovelim"?
Rashi: Rechav'am said that he will afflict them with thorns (Melachim I, 12:11).
Radak: This is destruction, like "Mechabelim Keramim" (Shir ha'Shirim 2:15). They corrupted their ways and deeds. Then, Hashem did not guard them from enemies. However, He still conducted them. He did not remove His Shechinah and guarding from them, until they were exiled. There were good kings, and bad kings after them.
Radak (14 citing R. Avraham ha'Levi): This is kingship of the Kohanim. Initially they built a Beis ha'Mikdash in Har Gerizim 1 . They intermarried with Kusim, and from them heresy came out to the world. In the end, Hurkenus served as Kohen Gadol for 40 years, and in the end he became a Tzeduki and killed the Kohanim, he and his son Alexandrus and his grandson Aristoblus leaned towards this mindset.
Malbim: From below "va'Egda? Es ha'Chovelim Lehafer Es ha'Achavah Bein Yehudah u'Vein Yisrael" (14), we know that this staff was to make brotherhood between Yehudah and Yisrael.
Ya'aros Devash (1:3 DH uv'Zeh, from Yosifun Hakdamos 11:18): At the beginning of Bayis Sheni, Kusim built a Beis ha'Mikdash in Har Gerizim. (Surely our text of Radak is mistaken. He means that Kusim built a Mikdash? and kings from Hurdus intermarried with Kusim. Presumably, Hurkenus is Yochanan Kohen Gadol, who later became a Tzeduki. The text should say 80 years, like Abarvenel says. The only Kohanim Gedolim who served more than 11 years in Bayis Sheni were Yochanan and Shimon ha'Tzadik, w served 80 and 40 years, respectively (Yuma 9a)!Some say that Yochanan is Yanai ha'Melech, who was Kohen Gadol and killed the Chachamim (Kidushin 66a). - PF)
Why does it repeat "va'Er'eh Es Tzon"?
Radak: Whether [their deeds were] good or bad, I conducted them.
